title: Localization of LewisX, sialyl-LewisX and alpha-galactosyl epitopes on glycosphingolipids in lens tissues.
abstract: Mammalian lens contains several neutral and acidic glycosphingolipids, the core structures of which are ganglio-, neolacto-, globo-, and isoglobo-series sugar chains. Old World monkey lens shows glycosphingolipid compositions similar to those of human cataractous lens, in particular the presence of Lewisxand sialyl-Lewisxepitopes and the absence of alpha-galactosyl epitope. Dog and pig lenses contain globotriaosylceramide and the sialyl-Lewisxcontaining neolactotetraosylceramide, respectively, which were found in primate lens, together with the alpha-galactosyl epitope containing neolactotetraosylceramide. Thin-layer chromatography immunostaining revealed the enrichment of some neolacto-series glycosphingolipids in the cortical and nuclear fibers, but not in lens epithelia, of dog, pig, and Japanese monkey lenses. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed the expression of Lewisx, sialyl-Lewisx, and alpha-galactosyl epitopes in the inner cortical and nuclear fibers, in association with the differentiation and maturation of lens epithelial cells to lens fibers. Glycobiological approaches thus suggested that some neolacto-series glycosphingolipids are involved in lens fiber development, in which the physiological roles of the alpha-galactosyl epitope are evolutionarily replaced by the Lewisxand sialyl-Lewisxepitopes in Old World monkeys and humans.
authors.affiliation: Cell and Information, PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) and Department of Life Science, Faculty of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogiso
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shogomori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoshi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry; D005690:Galactose / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008251:Macaca; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D013552:Swine; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D005732:Gangliosides; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D005690:Galactose